When it comes to losing weight we need to make sure that we are covering all our bases by eating well and working out. But when it comes to weight loss workouts, it can be difficult to make them into a habit we can sustain until we are at our goal weight. In fact, the workout is often the first part of any weight loss plan that fails, and as soon as one thing fails we are more likely to give up on the rest. So how can we stay motivated to keep working out and make our workouts a regular habit?
First of all, we need a realistic workout schedule. We can’t commit to making it some Saturdays, or to a series of classes which we can never attend. We have to pick something which we can do every day, or at least consistently several days a week. It can’t be at a time when we are usually working or commuting. If our mornings are busy, or our afternoon commute is often delayed, then we can’t work out immediately before or after work. And if there are days where unplanned things often seem to happen, we also need to account for this and make sure to avoid those days.
Secondly, we need to choose a workout which we enjoy enough to do every single week, if not every single day. Knowing what days we can work out, we now know what classes we could potentially make, whether we can make it to the gym or pool, etc. So we can lay out our options and seriously consider what we have available before choosing something we can truly be passionate about. If you really aren’t sure, then you can always try a few different things until you find something you truly enjoy doing. When your workout is fun for its own sake, then you will be able to keep doing it much more easily than if it’s a chore.
Thirdly, we need to stick to our schedule. This sounds simple, but many things can get in the way of it. For example, if you are invited out for drinks once on a Friday night, you may want to go. And cancelling your workout for this event is fine. But if you are invited every Friday, then you might want to reconsider either when you work out, or how often you agree to go out for drinks. There has to be a compromise somewhere, because you should not sacrifice your health or your social life. Find the balance so your schedule can be maintained.
Fourthly, we need to make sure we are eating right for our workout. A big mistake we can make when working out for weight loss is to eat a diet that is too low in calories, protein, salts, or micronutrients. Too few calories and you will not have the energy to keep going, which will kill your motivation. Too little protein and you will feel starving all the time, risking ruining your diet. Too little salt and you can actually dehydrate and get ill, suffering brain fog, cramps, etc. Too few of any micronutrient and you can suffer a whole array of symptoms and conditions, which could make you seriously ill in the long run.
